Reclining seating unit



April 12, 1960 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 2,932,346

RECLINING SEATING UNIT Filed Jan. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Fridijof F.Schliephocke.

77Z0 MXM ATTORNEY'S.

April 12, 1960 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 2,932,346

RECLINING SEATING UNIT Filed Jan. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.7

INVENTOR. Fridtjof FSchliephocke.

ATTORNEYS.

RECLINING SEATING UNIT Fridtjof F. Schlie'phacke, Berlin-Schmargendorf, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Greenwich, Conn.

Application January 8, 1957, Serial No. 632,987 4 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to seating units having body supporting elements which may be moved from an upright to a more or less reclining position. The seating unit is also preferably provided with a leg rest which is supported by linkage which will cause the leg rest to move from a retracted position when the body supporting units are in upright position to an elevated or projected position for supporting the legs when the seating elements are moved to a reclining position.

The invention particularly relates to a seating unit in which there is a stationary frame to which the back rest is pivoted above its lower end, and in which there is a seat pivoted to the back rest below and to the rear of the pivotal axis of the back rest. Linkage is also provided for supporting the forward part of the seatfrom the frame. The parts are so proportioned that when the back rest is tilted back, the seat is moved somewhat forward and also elevated at its front so as to produce a desirable angular relationship between the back rest and seat for supporting the body in a comfortable reclining position. The locations of the pivot points and proportions of the parts cause a relative movement of the seat and back rest such that the reclining position may be accomplished by simply leaning back against the back rest, and the balance of the seat and back rest is such that substantial stability is achieved in both the upright and reclining positions. Thus, no locking devices are required to hold the seating elements in either position.

The invention also includes improved leg rest operated mechanism in which the leg rest linkage is operated from the seat guide links which are in the form of levers having extended rigid arms to which links for operating the leg rest linkage are connected.

Specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention chosen to illustrate the principles thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations of a chair showing one form of the invention in upright seating and reclining positions, respectively;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing a part of the leg rest unit in an intermediate position between the upright position of Fig. 3 and the reclining position of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing another form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the article of furniture comprises a stationary frame or base 20 having legs 22, side frames 24 and arms 26. Any suitable form of frame may, of course, be employed. 28 is a back rest which is movably mounted on the frame, it being shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as pivoted at points 30 above the bottom of the back rest. 32 is a seat which is movably supported so as to be tilted upward at an appropriate angle when the back rest is tilted back. For this purates Patent pose the seat may be mounted in various ways but in the particular example shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the seat has lugs 34 projecting from the rear edge thereof which are pivoted to the back rest at points 36 below and to the rear of the axis on which the back rest is pivoted to the frame. The seat is also supported on seat guide levers 44b which are pivoted between their ends at points 40b to the under side of the seat and at their upper ends at points 46b. It will be seen that the pivot points 36 are substantially back of as well as below the pivot points 30 so that when the back rest is tilted, the seat will be moved forward, but that the pivot points 36 will swing down on an arc with center at pivot points 30, and are at approximately their lower positions when the back rest is tilted to the normal fully inclined position. The pivot points 36 do not normally move beyond the dead center position. As a result of this construction the seat and back rest will be stable under normal conditions both when sitting or reclining. case the weight is more or less on the forward part of the seat, so that the back rest and seat will remain in the upright sitting position, whereas when the weight of the occupant is thrown against the back rest, so as to tilt the latter back, the parts move to a stable position as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the seating elements may be adjusted by merely shifting the weight of the occupant, and no special locking devices need be employed. The forward part of the seat is in effect suspended by the seat guide levers 44b from the pivot points 46b on the frame, as the pivot points 4% are at all times below the pivot points 46b. The levers 441: have extension portions which extend below the pivot points 40b, and to which leg rest actuating links may be pivoted.

In the construction shown, a leg rest 54 is provided, which is mounted on linkage including two-armed leg rest guide levers 56b which are pivoted at fulcrum points 58b to the seat and have arms 57b pivoted at 60b to links 62b which are pivoted at points 64b to the lower ends of the link 4411. The longer arms of the guide levers 56b are pivoted at 66 to the ends of links 68, the other ends of which are pivoted at 7d to the leg rest 54 toward the edge thereof nearest to the seat. Guide links 72 are pivoted at 74 to the seat near the front edge thereof. It will be observed that the points 74 are substantially nearer the front edge of the seat than the fulcrum points 58b where the leg rest guide levers are pivoted to the seat. Also, in the construction illustrated the points 74 are higher, that is, nearer the seating surface than the points 5811. The links 72 cross the links 68 between the ends thereof and are pivoted to such links at the crossing points 78. The ends of the links 72 beyond the pivot points 78 are pivoted at 80 to links 82 which are pivoted at 84 to the leg rest 54-. This linkage is particularly suitable for use in connection with the back rest and seat mounted as above described, and the operation of the leg rest linkage by connection with the seat guide levers is an effective and satisfactory construction.

In this construction, owing to the reversely bent short arms 57b which locate the line of thrust exerted by the links 62b at pivot points 60b below the axis or" the pivots 58b, it will be seen that links 62b are thrust links. Obviously, these linkages may be modified by changing the relative locations of the pivots so that the system may be designed to use either pull links or thrust links.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show another modification of the invention in which the back rest 28 and seat 32 are mounted as in the form of the invention previously described. The seat is supported on seat guide levers pivoted at their lower ends to the frame at points 102 and pivoted at intermediate points to the chair seat at points 104. The upper ends of the levers 100 which in the former project above the pivots 104 are pivoted atpoints 106 to leg rest actuating links 108. The leg rest 54 is mounted on links 110 and 112 pivoted to the leg rest at spaced points of the width thereof. The links 110 are pivoted at 114 to links 116 which are pivoted at 118 to the forward part of the chair seat. The links 112' cross the links 116 and are pivoted thereto at points 119. The ends of the links 112 are pivoted at points 120 to leg rest guide levers 122 which are pivoted to the chair seat at points 124 in rear of the pivot points 118. The forward ends of the leg rest operating links 108 are pivoted to the leg rest guide levers 122 at pivot points 126 which are intermediate the ends of the leg rest guide levers and are also, in the present instance, at one side of and above and in advance of the axis of the guide levers con-' necting pivot points 120 and 124-. This arrangement of the pivots is somewhat similar to that shown in connec tion with the levers 56b which have the reve'rsely bent arms 5712 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the third or intermediate pivot point to which the actuating link is pivoted is at the opposite side of the guide lever axis.

The leg rest supporting linkage shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and the means for driving the same through the links 108 from the ends of the seat guide levers 100, which extend beyond the pivot points 104, give the leg rest a greater are of movement than in the constructions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, in the construction shown in- Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the leg rest is retracted into a substantially horizontal position beneath the seat when the parts are in the upright sitting position shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another modification of the invention in which the backrest 28 is pivoted to the chair frame 20 at pivot points 30 above the bottom of the back rest. The seat 32 in this instance is provided with lugs 340 which are bent upward at their rear ends, which are pivoted to the back rest at points 360. It willbe seen that these points 360 are higher than the points 36 at which the seat is pivoted to the back rest, as shown in the previous figures. The points 360 are thus brought more nearly on a level with the points 30 when the chair is in a sitting position, and are back of such points. The chair seat 32 is pivoted at points 4012 to the chair seat guide levers 442b, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the stationary frame at points 46b. In this construction the leg rest 54 is mounted on links 1100 and 1120 similar to the links 110 and 112 shown in Figs. ;3, 4 and 5.

Links 1100 are pivoted at 1140 to connecting links 1160. Links 1120 cross links 1160 and are pivoted thereto at points 1190. The ends of links 1120 beyond the points 1190 which in this instance are shown bent at a slight angle are pivoted at 1200 to the free-ends of leg rest guide levers 1220 Which are pivoted at points 1240 to thechair seat. The ends of links 1160 are not pivoted to the chair seat as in the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, but are pivoted at points 130 to theends of leg rest operating links 1080. The links 1080 are shown as bent at points 132, and between the bent points and the points 130 they cross the leg rest guide levers 1220' and are pivoted thereto at points 134. In this construction, the linkage is a true lazy tongs with two pivoted crossing points 1190 and 134. One terminalof the lazytongs is pivoted at 1240 to the chair seat, and the other terminal of the lazy tongs constituting the link 1080 is pivoted to the seat guide link 44b. 7

It is understood that certain parts, elements or mechanism shown in one figure may be substituted for corresponding parts, elements or mechanisms of the embodiments shown in other figures of the drawings.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose .of illustration, and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangements of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a reclining article of furniture having a stationary frame, body supporting members comprising a seat and back rest, the back rest being pivoted on the frame, the seat being pivoted to the back rest at a point below the pivotal axis of the back rest, a leg rest and linkage for supporting said leg rest and causing movement of said leg rest from a retracted position when said body supporting members are tilted, said linkage including a leg rest guide lever pivoted to the seat at its upper end and pivoted at its lower end to elements of the linkage carrying the leg rest, and an operating linkage system, for projecting the leg rest when the body supporting members are moved to reclining position, said operating linkage system comprising a seat guide link having three spaced pivot points thereon, the upper one of which is pivoted to the frame, the intermediate one of which is pivoted to the seat and the lower one of which is pivoted to a link connected to the leg rest guide lever, at a point below the point at which said lever is pivoted to the seat.

2. In a reclining article of furniture having a stationary frame, a back rest pivoted to the frame, a seat p voted to the back rest at a point removed from the p votal axis of the backrest, a leg rest, a system of linkage f or supporting said leg rest from said seat including a pan of links pivoted to the leg rest at spaced points of the width thereof from front to rear, a leg rest guide lever pivoted to the seat and to the end of one of said pa r of links, ,a Connecting link pivoted to the other said pa r of links and crossing and pivoted to the first-named link of sald' pair and means for actuating said linkage to cansemo'vement of said leg rest from a retracted position when said back rest is tilted, said system of linkage ineluding a seat guide link pivoted at its upper end to the frame, between its ends to the seat and at its lower end to the rear end of an actuating link, the forward part of said actuating link crossing and being pivoted to said leg rest guide lever between the ends thereof, the forward end of said actuating link being pivoted to the free end of said connecting link. V

3. Ina reclining article of furniture having a stationary frame, body supporting members comprising a seat and back rest, the back rest being pivoted on the frame, the seat being pivoted to the back rest at a point below the' pivotal axis of the back rest, a leg rest and linkage for supporting said leg rest and causing movement of sa d leg rest from a retracted position when said body supporting members are tilted, said linkage including a leg reet guide lever pivoted to the seat at its upper end and pivoted at its lower end to elements of the linkage carry ng the leg rest, and an operating linkage system for projecting the leg rest when the body supporting members are moved to reclining position, said operating linkage system comprising a seat guide link pivoted at one of its ends to the frame, the seat being pivoted to an intermediate point thereof and the opposite end of the seat guide link being pivoted to a link connected to the leg rest guide lever.

4. In a reclining article of furniture having a stationary frame, body supporting members comprising a seat and back rest, the back rest being pivoted on the frame, the seat being pivoted to the backrest at a point below the pivotal axis of the back rest, a leg rest and linkage for supporting said leg rest and causing movement of said leg rest from a retracted position when said body supporting members are tilted, said linkage including a leg rest guide lever pivoted to the seat at its upper end and pivoted at its lower end to elements of the linkage carrying the leg rest, and an operating linkage system for projecting the leg rest when the body supporting membets are moved to reclining position, said operating linkage system comprising a seat guide link having three spaced pivot points thereon, the lower of which is pivoted to the frame, the intermediate one of which is pivoted to the seat and the upper one of which is pivoted to a link connected to the leg rest guide lever at a point below the point at which said lever is pivoted to the seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Trimble Feb. 1, 1910 Gielow et a1. Sept. 30, 1952 Lorenz Feb. 19, 1957, Lorenz Mar. 18, 1958 

